Richteren 20:42

Gereviseerde Leidse Vertaling

Zo keerden zij den Israelieten den rug toe en wendden zich naar de woestijn, maar zij werden achternagezet, en zij die uit de stad kwamen sloten hen in en velden hen neer;

Parallel Translations

Gereviseerde Lutherse Vertaling
En zij wendden zich voor de mannen van Isral op den weg naar de woestijn; maar de strijd volgde hen achterna, en die uit de steden daarbij kwamen, vernielden hen midden onder hen.

Staten Vertaling
Zo wendden zij zich voor het aangezicht der mannen van Israel naar den weg der woestijn; maar de strijd kleefde hen aan, en die uit de steden vernielden ze in het midden van hen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the battle: Lamentations 1:3, Hosea 9:9, Hosea 10:9

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 10:9 - General 1 Chronicles 19:10 - set against 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - then

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel,.... And fled from them:

unto the way of the wilderness; what wilderness is not certain, perhaps the wilderness of Judah; they did not turn directly back towards Gibeah, perceiving that was taken, and in the hands of a body of men that would meet them, and therefore they turned on one side towards the wilderness, if happily they could make their escape thither, and shelter themselves:

but the battle overtook them; that is, they that made war, as the Targum, the Israelites that were engaged in battle with them pursued them, and overtook them:

and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them; either the Israelites that came out of their cities to assist their brethren destroyed the Benjaminites as they fled, or the Benjaminites who came out of other cities to Gibeah, these were destroyed in the midst of it with the inhabitants, by the liers in wait, when they entered it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The way of the wilderness - i. e., the wilderness which extended from Jericho to the hills of Bethel.

Them which came out of the cities - These must be the Benjamites Judges 20:15. Hence, “in the midst of them” must mean “in their own cities”, where they severally fled for refuge, but failed to find shelter Judges 20:48. Anathoth, Alemath, Ramah, Ataroth, Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel, Migron, etc., would probably be the cities meant, all lying east and north of Gibeah.